𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐄 | 𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐤𝐮 | ✓

𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶-𝔰𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫

word count: 982

 Bakugo POV

I've run out of things to break in my room. I've kicked my cupboard door to splinters, shattered my mirror, punched my wall, snapped my figurines... everything's broken.

Including my heart.

My room looks like a tornado hit it. I haven't eaten, and it's taken its toll. I throw up bile, the hunger making my stomach churn. In the shards of my broken mirror, I can see my face is noticeably gaunt.

I've brought sharp fragments of mirrored glass up to my wrists multiple times, but I can never bring myself to drag them across my flesh. Fucking pathetic.

The only thing that keeps me holding on is the knowledge that I didn't do it. I didn't kiss that Icyhot bastard. Deku doesn't know it, but I cling to the microscopic thread of hope that I can clear this up, prove I'm innocent.

And then I'll make Half n Half pay.

My mother has knocked on my door multiple times, leaving trays of food that I never touch. I don't let her in, but she speaks through the door in a soft tone I rarely hear.

I'm debating blowing the door to bits, but it's my only shield of privacy.

When she knocks again, I don't answer. I only listen as she tells me that I need to return to school tomorrow.

Like hell I do.

—

Izuku POV

"Izuku, sweetie?" my mother pokes her head around my door and peers at my miserable, bed-ridden self worriedly. "It's been eight days."

Has it really? It feels like an eternity or suffering, but at the same time it could've been just an hour.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really," I manage to croak.

"Well, sweetie," she says quietly, "Mitsuki just called. She says Katsuki's locked himself in his room and hasn't come out for a week."

I feel no compassion for him, and tell my mother so.

"Well, the school's called. You'll have to go back soon, sweetie."

Ugh. I don't even want to be a hero right now. My All Might posters stare down at me, their eyes showing their disappointment at what I just thought.

"I'll go back tomorrow," I say half-heartedly.

"Okay. I'll let them know. I love you, Izuku."

I roll over into my pillow. How do I tell her that I love her too? I loved Kacchan. Now I can never say those three words again.

Bakugo POV

I wake up in a cold sweat and my hand flies to check my phone. I can't leave the thing alone. I haven't given up trying to text Deku. He always leaves me on 'read', the grey bubble with three dots dancing teasingly, before disappearing again.

The time on the glowing screen reads 3 am.

Before I even know what I'm doing, I've punched in his number and am listening to it ring, ring, ring.

I don't expect him to pick up. I've tried this before and it's always gone to voicemail. Every time, I hear his, "Hi, I'm probably busy right now, so if you leave a message I'll get back to you soon. Um, bye."

And he never gets back to me.

Except tonight is different. It rings and rings and rings. I'm about to give up,

but

then,

"Hello?"

Izuku POV

My slumber is interrupted by the ringing of my phone on my nightstand. Groggily, I sit up in bed and answer the call without checking the ID.

"Hello?"

I hear a breathy sigh of relief. "You picked up."

I'd know that voice anywhere, but still, I pull the phone away to look at the caller ID. Kacchan. I grit my teeth. "I am not talking to y-"

"Please, wait," He sounds so desperate. I've never heard him like this before. And even though he's hurt me beyond repair, I'm hit with the thought: I still love him.

"Please," he begs. His voice sounds ragged, like he's been crying. "Just listen to me."

I pick myself up off the bed and walk into my bathroom, sinking onto the cool, tiled floor. "What could you possibly have to say?" I ask. My voice is eerily calm, it surprises me.

"I know you won't believe me," he starts hoarsely. "But I promise I didn't cheat on you. Icyhot set it up to look like I did because—"

I scoff to hide how painful it is. "Can you even hear yourself right now, Kacchan? You sound ridiculous. I know what I saw. You cheated on me and you forced Todoroki to make out with you."

"I-"

"Why?" I hear my voice crack. "Why did you do this? Is it because I didn't have sex with you?"

"Deku, no—"

"And that's the thing," I continue. I've been ignoring his calls, but now that I'm here, I can say every horrid thought I've had about him recently. "You never really loved me. I realise that now. You've always called me a stupid nerd. Even my name. I'm just useless, right?" my voice catches in my throat. "I'm just the quirkless loser from your childhood! Just a game, right? Thought you could have some fun with me?" I demand into the phone.

"Please. That's not it at all. I'm begging you, Izuku."

At the sound of my name, I draw in a ragged, shaky breath, squeezing my eyes shut to ward off tears. "Y-you don't get to call me that now! You could've s-stopped with the mean nicknames if you really did l-l-love me. But now you're using it to get me to f-fall for you again? I'M SO SICK OF YOU, KACCHAN!" I sob.

"But I do love you!" he cries.

"Stop lying." My voice has gone raw. "I know you hate me." Before he can say anything more, I hang up.

In the dark, I echo to myself,

"I know you hate me."